Church music

Church music is music that is intended to be part of Christianworship in churches, chapels, cathedrals or anywhere Christians meet to worship. Church music is sacred (religious) music, but not all religious music is church music. Some music may be inspired by religion, but it may not be church music. For example, some songs are about religion, but they may not be church music. Although it uses the words of the Requiemmass, Verdi’s Requiem, was composed for performance in a concert hall. Britten’s War Requiem was written for performance in a cathedral, but it was not meant to be part of a service of worship, so it would not usually be thought of as “church music”.

Church music has varied enormously during the history of Christianity as different churches kept changing their ideas about what part music should have in religious worship. Most church music is based on singing. Music written for church choirs mostly used the words of the liturgy (the words used in services). The organ is the most important musical instrument in church music, although from time to time many other instruments have been used as well.

During many periods in history composers writing for the church used traditional music rather than the newest fashions. This was particularly the case in the early 17th century when composers such as Claudio Monteverdi often wrote in two different styles: the old style for church music (which, at the time, they called “stilo antico”) and the new style for secular (non-religious) music (which they called “stilo moderno”).

During the early history of Christian worship the churches were spread through many countries in the Roman Empire. The musical traditions that already existed in these countries were used, so there was great variety. Musical instruments were associated with the devil and with dancing, and so they were thought to be wicked and were not allowed in churches. The only music that was allowed in churches was singing. In the 4th century Bishop Ambrosius of Milan introduced the antiphon and encouraged newly composed hymns. Psalms were an important part of the early Christian worship. Responsorial psalms were psalms which were sung by one person (who may have been called a “reader”), and the congregation may have responded at the end of a verse with something simple such as “Alleluia”. Gradually “antiphonal psalmody” was developed. This meant that the choir stands on opposite sides facing one another and they sing the verses of the psalm alternately (first one side has a turn, then the other). Antiphonal psalm singing can still be heard today in Anglican cathedrals.

Church music in American churches developed, at first, in a similar way to European music. The Book of Common Prayer was the basis of American worship. Both Puritans and Baptists thought that congregational singing was important. In the 18th century Singing Masters from Singing Schools in the north eastern states used to travel around to try to teach people in church to sing properly. The most famous of these singing masters was William Billings. Because most people could not read, a system called Lined-out Hymnody developed, in which the priest sang a line and the congregation copied him. Later in the century, during the “First Great Awakening”, the hymn tunes of English composers such as Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley became popular.

In the 19th century people from different churches met at Camp Meetings. These were led by Evangelists. The songs reflect the belief that sinners can be saved by repenting. The music of black people and of folk music became important influences. Songs became tuneful and often had refrains. In the middle of the century Sunday Schools for children became extremely popular and many songs were written for them. Gospel songs and negro spirituals also became very widely used and influenced the development of church music in America.